Hi folks,
Recently I purchased a numbers matching 1958 WE 500 model in Black. Before I bought it, the previous owner sent me pictures of the phone that made it looked like it was just very dirty and dusty. When I received it, it looked as if it's been painted Black, over what appears to be another Black, but shiny underneath, and found there to be, what looks like, a few Peeling areas. It literally looks like someone didn't like the shiny Black and decided to paint it a dull ugly looking black.
In trying to get it looking presentable, I stuck the whole body in Palmolive Dish Soap for a while to let it soak, and a very tiny bit of the Peeling areas did peel off, but it was very hard to get off. Next, I decided to gently try some Acetone...which seemed to gently melt the small area I tried. I next tried some 70% isopropyl alcohol, but it did very little to nothing. After this, I was at a loss, and decided to come here to look for, and eventually ask for advice from the Phone Experts.
I'm finding it very hard to believe that this is indeed a paint at all now, and am wondering if the Soft Plastic (Tenite) is somehow Peeling off in small layers?
I am attaching a picture for you folks to look at, and hopefully help me know what to do with this phone body. Anyone know for certain what is going on here?
That looks like the flaking (or whatever it is called) that occurs on some tenite (soft plastic) phone shells, not peeling paint. Sanding it can often make it worse. I have some phones with that issue, but I do not have any good solutions other than sanding slowly and carefully. Perhaps dissolving the plastic in the bad areas with MEK might help, but I haven't tried that.
Larry
Quote from: LarryInMichigan on September 04, 2017, 08:52:36 PM
That looks like the flaking (or whatever it is called) that occurs on some tenite (soft plastic) phone shells, not peeling paint. Sanding it can often make it worse. I have some phones with that issue, but I do not have any good solutions other than sanding slowly and carefully. Perhaps dissolving the plastic in the bad areas with MEK might help, but I haven't tried that.
Larry
So Larry, You think it's a problem with this phones Tenite shell. That was the answer I had feared, but somewhat suspected. The handset turned out really nice, and didn't have this problem...thankfully. I have never used MEK, but could give it a try, or perhaps use another method. I'm just glad someone on here had previous experience with this.
This Tenite sure is a heavy dense 'plastic' though, it's too bad if others have this problem on their phones. This material buffs out so nicely by hand alone, I'm sure that with a high speed buffer, things would really look fantastic.
Thanks for that information Larry!
David
I posted a question about this problem on my 5302 years ago but got no help. Also, Photobreakit.com disabled the links to the pictures in my post, but here is a picture of the side of the 5302. I just gave up and left it.
Larry
Alright folks...After quite a bit of sanding and hand buffing, I was able to get the phone to look like this after a few hours of hard work. She is not perfect, but a lot better than if I hadn't tried at all.
I thought it was Paint peeling, but as Larry stated, this is NOT paint, but Flaking of the Tenite itself.
I hope my dilemma with this phone, helps other who may have the same problem with their Soft Plastic (Tenite) phones.
Thanks again Larry!
David
Edit, on the bottom is what the phone looked like before I got it, and that picture makes it look almost good, compared to what it really was.
It looks very nice now!
Larry
In any event, it is a phone rescue for sure. Very nice job! Another nice instrument will live to tell the story!